It seems there was method to Tony Mowbray’s ranting at referee Gavin Ward during Saturday’s win over Preston North End. Who knew that an exchange on the touchline, that saw the Rovers boss handed a first yellow card since August 2019, could prove to be so helpful.

The game was flat, the conditions bordering on unplayable in areas, and the Ewood crowd were in need of a lift. So what better way to do so than to get them riled up against an old foe.

They need no invitation to vent their frustrations at referee Ward, an official who they have a long history with, albeit victory over Preston on Saturday means they have now won three of the last four games he has officiated.

There were a series of baffling calls across the game, though one late handball shout against Ryan Nyambe definitely went in Rovers’ favour.

Mowbray’s criticism came over the decision to hand the ball to Preston after Ward had shown the kind of bodycheck on Joe Rothwell we have become accustomed to seeing from opposition players, halting the Rovers midfielder as he threatened to get into full flight.

That decision moments before half time incensed the home support, and that feeling was bottled up, helped by the exchange between Mowbray and Ward.

Mowbray often prefers to sit and watch his side, the odd hand gesture here and there to ensure players are in position but there was a feeling of real passion in the way he engaged with Ward, and also his players during several breaks of play.

There were boos from the home stand that greeted the half time whistle, directed at the officials. Had that flash point not happened, then there would likely have been no real response to the sides going in level, a first half in which the conditions had got the better of both teams.

But when they emerged from the second half there was more intensity about Rovers, both players and crowd getting wrapped up in the game. There was more purpose and when one goal always felt like it could be enough, for the second week in a row Rovers took the lead in the 53rd minute and held out for a 1-0 victory.

There is becoming a real connection between supporters and this young side, helped by the positive results.

How great again to see another strong crowd inside Ewood, the Rovers players inspired by shooting towards the Blackburn End who celebrated Brereton’s header in some style, as they did when the final whistle marked a first home win against North End in almost 21 years.

Mowbray’s exchange with the referee might not have raised the level of officiating, but it did inspire the crowd, and also him an apology at half time from Ward for the incorrect call.

“That was just a ridiculous decision and there were a few that were beyond belief,” Mowbray said.

“At the time he thought they had got the ball but everyone in the stadium could see that Rothwell was about to pick up the ball and run with it and he blocked Joe off, a body-check yet he gave them the ball. It was incredible really to be honest.

“It’s not my nature to be a ranting idiot to be honest, unless it’s at my players or my team, not at officials.

“Partly in my head I thought we had to engage the crowd and a manager showing some emotion on the touchline engages supporters sometimes and I think the team sometimes need help.

“If that gets people in the crowd up for it more, it gets them wrapped up in the game.

“You need the crowd to help this team keep pushing on.”

Not for the first time Mowbray has outlined the importance of supporters on this side, particularly one so young.

In the win against Sheffield United it was the crowd lifting the players, when only 9,000 were in for the Peterborough United home game, it took the players to get the crowd on side.

Here, Mowbray took it upon himself to ‘get the fans wrapped up in the game’.